中文
要估计未来的前景，可以想想内燃机如何塑造了现代生活。约 85% 的美国上班族开车上下班。在二战后的美国和其他地方，汽车制造业也一度是经济发展和中产阶级扩张的动力。如今全世界的汽车保有量约为 10 亿辆，几乎全部靠化石燃料驱动。
我的译文
To make a forecast for future perspectives, just think about how the internal combustion engine has shaped our modern life. About 85% Americans are car commuters. Car manufacturing has been the driving force for economic growth and the expantion incentives for the middle class in America, as well as the rest of the world after World War II. Of all the one billion cars owned around the world, most of them are depend on fossil fuels.
经济学人原文
To gauge what lies ahead, think how the internal combustion engine has shaped modern life. Roughly 85% of American workers commute by car. Carmaking was also a generator of economic development and the expansion of the middle class, in post-war America and elsewhere. There are now about 1bn cars on the road, almost all powered by fossil fuels.
原文中惊艳到自己的地方
📌用词精妙
👉gauge
(NAmEalsogage)/geɪdʒ/noun
1.(often in compounds常构成复合词)an instrument for measuring the amount or level of sth测量仪器（或仪表）；计量器
a fuel/ petrol/ temperature, etc. gauge燃料表、汽油量表、温度计等
2.a measurement of the width or thickness of sth宽度；厚度
What gauge of wire do we need?我们需要多大直径的金属丝？
3.(also bore especially inBrE)a measurement of the width of theBARRELof a gun（枪管的）口径，码
a 12-gauge shotgun* 12 号猎枪
4.the distance between the rails of a railway/ railroad track or the wheels of a train（铁道的）轨距；（火车的）轮距
standard gauge(= 561/2inches in Britain)标准轨距（在英国为 56.5 英寸）a narrow gauge(= narrower than standard) railway窄轨铁路
5[usually sing.]~(of sth)a fact or an event that can be used to estimate or judge sth（用于估计或判断的）事实，依据，尺度，标准
Tomorrow's game against Arsenal will be a good gauge of their promotion chances.明天与阿森纳队的比赛是衡量他们能否升级的很好的依据。
gauge
(NAmEalsogage)/geɪdʒ/verb
1.to make a judgement about sth, especially people's feelings or attitudes判定，判断（尤指人的感情或态度）
[VN]They interviewed employees to gauge their reaction to the changes.他们与雇员面谈以判定他们的应变能力。He tried to gauge her mood.他试图揣摩她的心情。[Vwh-]It was difficult to gauge whether she was angry or not.很难判断她是否在生气。
2.[VN]to measure sth accurately using a special instrument（用仪器）测量
precision instruments that can gauge the diameter to a fraction of a millimetre可测出直径为若干分之一毫米的精密仪器
3.to calculate sth approximately估计；估算
[VN]We were able to gauge the strength of the wind from the movement of the trees.我们可根据树的摇动估计风力。[alsoVwh-]
👉generator
[ʤenəreɪtə(r)] generators
1[N-COUNT]A generator is a machine which produces electricity.
2[N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n]A generator of something is a person, organization, product, or situation which produces it or causes it to happen.
The US economy is still an impressive generator of new jobs...
The company has been a very good cash generator.
📌表达地道
要估计未来的前景=To gauge what lies ahead
在二战后的美国和其他地方=in post-war America and elsewhere
经济发展和中产阶级扩张的动力=a generator of economic development and the expansion of the middle class
自己用这个表达造的句子
To gauge what lies ahead, just think how the internet has shaped modern life. Internet was a generator of economic development and the expansion of the middle class after 1990s.
